Ethnic Group Of Myanmar

The Major eight races Myanmar – Bamar, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Mon, Rakhine & Shan are shown in eight photos below couples in their colorful traditional costumes. The Bama majority live in the main river valleys of the Ayeyarwaddy, the Than Lwin (Salween) and Sittaung, while triba minority groups mostly inhabit the hills and mountains that surround Myanmar on the east, north and west. BamarFrom Bagan lithic inscriptions we know that the Pyus, Mons, Thet, Kayans and other ethnic groups inhabited the Myanmar Kingdoms founded by King Anawrahta. Of these groups, the Pyu people had a high level of civilization during the early years of the Christian era, but have been completely absorbed by the Bamar (Burmese) etnic group. Also known as ‘ Burman ‘ the majority of the population. Many ancient court customs & arts were lost as the Burman monarchy was abolished. The Bamar language ( Burmese ) has also been established as the principle language throughout Myanmar sehods. Kachin The Kachin are Tartars from the region south of the Great Gobi Desert in Mongolia, from where they migrated south in seperate tribes. The Kachin ( Jing Paw ), the Hill People are famous ethnic & seem to have impressed their traditional dress. During Manao Festival occasion the exotic ceremonial dresses with hammered silver medallions & tassels are the best traditional costume. There are different Kachin tribes like Kharku, Thaisan, Rawang & Lisu etc, …, its famous for their literature & culture.KayahThe kayah are the largest ethnic group in Kayah State. It was from their brightly coloured head-cloths or shawls that the territory gained its historic name of Karenni or Red Karen - which today applies to all the Karen sub-groups in the State.Although numerically smaller, the Kayah represent one of the four major linguistic branches of the Kerens – together with the Pwo, Sgaw & Pa-O. In 1951 Karenni State, which had gained the right of secessionunder the 1948 constitution, was renamed Kayah State by the government, with the intention, some historians say, of making a divisive distinction between Karennis & Karens., both of whom had been fighting for independence. Although animism is still practiced, many Kayahs – like other Karennis – have converted to Christianity over the past century. The name given to Kayah women by the Burmans is “ elephant women “, because of the numerous lacquered cotton rings they wear below the knee.KarenKaren legends refer to a “ river of running sand “ which their ancestors reputedly crossed. Many Karens think this refers to the Gobi Desert, although they have lived in Burma for centuries. Most probably, the Karen were among the earliest inhabitants to descend from China down the Irrawaddy, Sittaung & Salween Rivers into Burma, but over the centuries they retreated into the mountains of the south-east and the forest of the Irrawaddy Delta under pressure from Burmans & Mons.If all Karen sub-groups are counted, the Karen constitute the biggest ethnic population in Burma. After the Burmans & Shans. The term Karen usually refers to the major sub-group of the Pwo & Sgaw as well as the Bwe-speakers around Toungoo. Burma is home to around 4 million Karens, half of whom live in the Delta region & the rest in the Thai border lands. Most are Buddhists & in the eastern mountains there are still animists, but around 20 percent have converted to Christianity.ChinThe Chin, or Zomi, are a Tibeto-Burman people who inhabit the great mountain chain running up western Burma into Mizoram in north-east India. In previous centuries, the difficult terrain meant that there was little communication between villages, and the Chins had to rely on their lowland neighbours for food & supplies in times of emergency.More than forty sub-groups, many distinguished by their unique facial tattoos & customes, have been identified among the 1.5 million Chins in Burma. According to folklore, the custom of tattooing originated almost a thousand years ago, after Burman men found the Chin women so attractive that they would capture them in slave raids. In their fear, the women began to tattoo their faces – both to make themselves look unattractive. , and to ensure that Chin men would be able to identify them if they were carried off.MonA distinctive branch of the Mon-Khmer peoples, the Mon were probably the earliest of modern-day inhabitants to settle in the plains of Burma. They soon established themselves as the most cultured people in South-east Asia at that time, as their art & architecture clearly show. The Mons brought both Buddhism & writing to Burma & traded with India as early as the Christian Era. The earliest Mon writings date from the fifth century AD, and they are believed to have founded the world-famous Shwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon, originally a Mon settlement.For a thousand years, until the fall of Pegu in 1757, the Mons ruled much of lower Burma from their great cities at Thaton, Martaban & Pegu. Many Mons believe that the whole of South-east Asia could have come under their control had their forefathers been a race of warriors rather than artists and poets.Mon State is home to the Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda, an extraordinary golden rock perched precariously on a mountain outcrop.RakhineThe Rakhine, who are the majority ethnic group in Arakan State, have long been influenced by their proximity to India & have firmed strong trading links with the sub-continent. They claim a long history of independence & ruled their own kingdom at Myauk-U ( Myohaung ) until 1784 AD.The recorded names of kings & imprint of Buddhism date back to the early centuries AD, but it is not certain whether this refers to the same people. Buddhism was reputedly established during the reign of King Chandra Surya in 146 AD, and most Rakhines are still devout Buddhists today.The Rakhines speak a dialect of Burmese that many scholars believe is the earliest form of the language, and in culture & dress they are very similar to Burmans. About one-quarter of Arakan’s population are Muslims known as Rohingyas, mostly of Bengali descent, and other minority groups include the Thet ( shaka-ma ), Khami (Mro), Daignet & Maramagyi, who live in the hills. ShanAlong with the Karen, the Shan are the second largest ethnic group in Myanmar after the Burmans & live mainly in Shan State. Most Shans are valley-dwellers. They were among the first migrants into the area & are thought to have come from Yunnan, south-west China, where related Tai peoples still lives.One division of Shans migrated south to the Menam valley & became known as the Siamese or Thais, while other remained in Burma or moved into Laos. Following the Mongol sack of Bagan in 1287 AD, the Shans established a power base in Upper Burma, with their capital at Ava outside modern Mandalay. For nearly two centuries they controlled the fertile rice land around the middle reaches of the Irrawaddy & expanded into Kachin State and along the Chindwin River. Their traditional SAWBWAS or PRINCES were recognized by the British in the nineteenth century in the process of annexation, but in 1959 they signed an agreement with General Ne Win’s government renouncing all their hereditary rights. Fighting, however between the central government & various Shan resistance movements has continued sporadically until today.Source: http://www.goldback ed-lynn.com/ national_ tribes.html